Join the Poetry Foundation on March 12, 2026 at 6 p.m. for a celebration of Chicago Poet Laureate Mayda del Valle and Illinois Poet Laureate Mark Turcotte! Both poets will read their work. The event is free but requires register. For more information and to register, visit the Poetry Foundation.
Thank you SO much to everyone who came out last night to support our first grad reading series at Uncommon Ground! It was so special to get together, share our work and support each other. We hope to host a monthly series, so stay tuned for more information on upcoming readings, and how to get involved.
Award-winning author Janet Burroway will be in conversation with Miles Harvey, DePaul professor and English Chair, about Janet’s new novel, Simone in Pieces at Bookends & Beginnings in Evanston on Saturday, February 7, 2026 at 4 p.m. Janet is also the author of Writing Fiction: A Guide to Narrative Craft, (a bestseller through 10 editions) and has written eight previous novels, as well as a memoir, plays, short fiction, children’s books, and more. Recipient of the Florida Humanities Council’s Lifetime Achievement Award in Writing, she is Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professor Emerita at Florida State University… Read Article →
Professor and Fiction Editor for Wildhouse Publishing Rebecca Johns-Trissler will be in conversation with Kaethe Schwehn, the author of The Gospel of Salome on Sunday, January 25 at the International Museum of Surgical Science from 3-4 p.m. The discussion will center on researching for historical fiction, the erased histories of female physicians in ancient times, and the novel itself, which was reviewed in the Chicago Review of Books. The event is free but requires registration, and guests who attend will receive free access to the International Museum of Surgical Science!
From the Poetry Foundation: Join DCASE, Chicago Public Library and the Poetry Foundation as we celebrate Chicago’s new Poet Laureate, Mayda A. del Valle! The Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, Chicago Public Library and Poetry Foundation are pleased to invite you to an evening celebrating Chicago’s new Poet Laureate, Mayda A. del Valle. The event is free but requires registration here. Chicago Cultural Center, G.A.R. Hall 5:30 p.m. – Doors open 6 – 7:30 p.m. – Program 7:30 – 8 p.m. – Informal Reception & Mingling The night will feature remarks from City leaders,… Read Article →
Join us at Uncommon Ground for a reading featuring DePaul graduate writers! If you are a graduate student in the MAWP or MFA program and are interested in reading your poetry or short prose (can be an excerpt of a longer piece), email Kendall Polidori at kpolidor@depaul.edu for a spot. Reading spots are limited, so please reach out ASAP! When: Thursday, January 29 from 6-8 p.m. Where: Uncommon Ground (3800 N Clark St) The event is free and open to the public, so even if you aren’t reading, please come out and support!
Poets for Chicago: A Night of Art & Community Benefiting ICIRR will take place on Thursday, December 11, from 7-11 pm, at Co-Prosperity, 3219 S Morgan St, Chicago. 100% of proceeds from this event will go to the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant & Refugee Rights, who is doing critical work to keep our neighbors safe and make Illinois a more welcoming place for all. DePaul’s own Mark Turcotte and Tara Betts will be part of the all-star reading lineup—alongside New York Times Bestselling Author Erika L. Sánchez, National Book Award winner Daniel Borzutzky, National Book Award finalist Robyn Schiff, and many others. All attendees are asked… Read Article →
On Monday, December 1, 2025 from 5 – 7 p.m., the Harold Washington Library Center is hosting a Write at CPL Celebration. The event is a citywide celebration of writers and writing at Harold Washington Library Center’s Winter Garden. Whether you are a member of a CPL writing group, participated in a workshop this year, or you just write on your own – all aspiring authors are welcome! Featured activities will include: Due to limited space, registration is required.
Mark Turcotte, professor and DePaul’s Distinguished Writer in Residence, will be the honored guest as Poet Laureate of Illinois at the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture on Saturday, October 11 from 12-2 p.m. The event is free and will feature the poets Luis Tubens, Mayda Del Valle and Dr. Yolanda Nieves. Click here for more information!
The Poets and Writers Guild for the Arts in the Dark Parade is looking for poets, writers, spoken word artists, novelists, short story writers, journalists, memoirists, essayists, graphic novelists, illustrators, educators, booksellers, literary arts organizers, literacy advocates, readers, and bibliophiles to participate in the 11th annual Arts in the Dark Parade on October 18, 2025! The parade takes place in the Loop on State Street moving south from Lake Street to Van Buren from 6 to 8 p.m. Now in its 11th year, Arts in the Dark is a magical evening parade celebrating Halloween as… Read Article →
According to the Chicago Public Library, there were 821 censorship attempts on library books in 2024, the third highest number of book challenges recorded by the American Library Association‘s Office for Intellectual Freedom. This is why CPL is committed to supporting Chicagoan’s freedom to read and is the leader of the Book Sanctuary Movement. Interested in getting involved this week? Check out the list of events across Chicago Public Library locations here! Can’t make it in person? Check out the American Library Association’s list for free online events this week.
On Sunday, October 5, Avery Cunningham (MAWP ’16) will be at the Maxwell Street Market from 12-1 p.m. for a discussion around the history of Chicago’s Maxwell Street Market, and the role it plays in her debut novel The Mayor of Maxwell Street (Disney/Hyperion 2024). Books will be available to purchase from Da Book Joint, and Avery will be signing books on site!